Where Justice Dwells by Jill Jacobs A Hands-On Guide to Doing Social Justice in Your Jewish Community

How can Jewish values inform our work to create a just world—and help us work together for the good of all communities?

“Somehow, most Jews have decided that being a ‘good Jew’ means adhering to rituals such as Shabbat, kashrut, and prayer. But the word halakhah, generally translated as ‘Jewish law,’ literally means ‘the way to walk.’ Rather than a limited set of ritual laws, halakhah represents an all-encompassing way of life.”

—from Chapter 1

Jewish tradition compels us to protect the poorest, weakest and most vulnerable among us. But discerning how to make meaningful and effective change through social justice work—whether in community or on your own—is not always easy.

This guide provides ways to envision and act on your own ideals of social justice by helping you navigate through such issues as:

• Balancing the needs of your community with those of other communities

• Weighing the pros and cons of various models of social justice work (direct service, advocacy, investment and community organizing)

• Expanding the impact and efficiency of your work

• Locating your social justice goals and methods within the context of Jewish tradition

• Maintaining the motivation and inspiration to continue your social justice workEach chapter includes a set of discussion questions to prompt reflection and conversation, as well as tips, tools, processes and forms for getting your social justice project off the ground.

Rabbi Jill Jacobs lectures widely across the United States. She is former rabbi-in-residence of the Jewish Funds for Justice, and author of There Shall Be No Needy: Pursuing Social Justice through Jewish Law and Tradition. She has been voted to the Forward newspaper's list of fifty influential Jews and to the Jewish Week's list of "thirty-six under thirty-six.